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I've thought about it, as I used to travel to the Caribbean and Atlantic islands for business and I meet a lot of expats there.

Generally, most expats enjoy it for about a year, then dislike the island lifestyle. The problem is that the moving to the islands is like moving to a very small rural town where you don't know anyone. Chances are it will lack the amenities and luxuries (department stores, malls, Walmart, potable water, movie theatres) that you are used to in the USA and the locals are usually very provincial. They are friendly to tourists with money, but not necessarily to expats. You will always be an outsider and probably mostly hang out with other expats.

The islands also usually have terrible weather for parts of the year with rainy seasons, hurricane seasons, lots of mosquitoes, lots of cockroaches, etc. If you have fair skin, you pretty much have to cake suncreen on all the time or be used to having baked skin. Also, some islands have terrible poverty and lots of crime, which are often directed at expats. Other islands have terrible corruption, often infringing on the rights of expats (i.e. unequal taxes, seizure of title to land).

Also, you are generally prohibited from working unless you have a work visa, which many islands strictly control. The island I considered moving to (Grand Cayman) would only allow expats a 7 year visa that is not renewable. It's not like you can move there and open a restaurant or a scuba shop.

Anyways, eventually it seems the expats get bored and are kind of lonely, unless they are just snowbirds for the winter. I rented a house for three weeks on an island that was in a residential area (not a hotel or tourist condo) and by the third week I understood the complaints. I still could see myself doing a one year rotation on an island, but that would be it. It's obviously different if you are from an island and are moving back, as you would have friends and family and an idea of what the lifestyle is like.

Do you ever think/wonder what it would be like to sell the house, cash in the 401k, gather the savings and just pick up and leave northern VA and go to a tropical carribean paradise to live a simple, stress free, more enjoyable life?

i'm 28 and think about this question often.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this. Before you say anything, i do understand that there are pros and cons to leaving the life here and moving to the described place.

Cheers

I think about this every day.... I went snorkeling one day to Bahamas and I felt in love with ocean paradise. I went to Hawaii couple times after that and it is my dream to live in that environment. I think this is doable if you have some kind of business where you can buy a boat in Carribean and sail around with tourist to make a living. Also doing some import, exporting...
Let me know if anyone is interested in becoming partner...

But seriously, I don't have much to sell, so in my case, it would be just packing my clothes, tv and electronics and either mailing them to my new house or somehow securely packing a small u-haul and starting a new life.

I think for those of us who've lived here our whole lives or lived here for a long time just get a longing to see what else is out there. We long to be the transplant for once instead of the native.

Speaking of which, is it just me or have a lot of people from Florida moved here? I see at least four FL license tags during my daily commute, and they can't all just be passing through on their way to/from NY.

Speaking of which, is it just me or have a lot of people from Florida moved here? I see at least four FL license tags during my daily commute, and they can't all just be passing through on their way to/from NY.

You sound young. Why not move west? Like La or SF or San Diego? You can live as a waitress for awhile and really have a great time. IMO, the West doesn't have the same racial hangups as the East Coast-unless you are Mexican. Just a thought.

i see what you're saying and i agree with you regarding the complications that arise given family/kids/etc.
currently i have no kids. neutral about the whole thing to be honest with you. my gf of 4 years and i will be together for a long time, i'm sure, we may or may not want kids.
about the small town in the midwest comment.....you're missing the whole point!!! hehe the whole point is to live in paradise....tropics.....ocean....blue water.....definitely no snow! hehe

Here's my 2 cents...you're still young and have no kids and if you are having 2nd thoughts about having any the DON'T beause you might regret it and it'll be a waste of money and there goes your tropical island. I am only 22(no kids,single,no weight on my back and i DO NOT want kids),i AM from a tropical Islan (Puerto Rico) i was born,raised and i lived down there until i moved out at 18 to come to the States and explore,i started in TX and now i'm in NOVA ( wich has been the biggest waste of 2 and some years of my life) and i am planning on leaving early next year.If i really wanted to i could drop everything and go back to my tropical island with blue waters and dreamy women but i'm not ready yet because i was SICK of living there,it got old for me,so i'm not going back just yet because i still want live in other states and see what's there to see. I always think about moving back home but i know i'll get bored quick since i am from there but sometimes i think about going back for like 6 months or so and just get a job at some restaurant next to the beach and spend the rest of the time relaxing and laying under a palm tree looking at the blue ocean(unlike the brown one this place has to offer).If you have any questions about living in a Island feel free to PM me and i'll help you with what i can.

I think about it on an almost daily basis. The ideal life for me would be on a tropical island, with crystal clear water, drinking cosmos on the beach. When I get bored with that, I'd take my jet ski out. After a rough afternoon of jet skiing, I'd put my personal masseuse to work. When that wrapped up, my personal chef would have a wonderful dinner waiting for me. After dinner, I'd chill by the firepit until I fell asleep...then I'd start all over again the next day.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iwillthink4u

Do you ever think/wonder what it would be like to sell the house, cash in the 401k, gather the savings and just pick up and leave northern VA and go to a tropical carribean paradise to live a simple, stress free, more enjoyable life?

i'm 28 and think about this question often.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this. Before you say anything, i do understand that there are pros and cons to leaving the life here and moving to the described place.

Cheers

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